60% generation target achieved by Ministry of Power for its “100 days program”; nothing to cheer about

Out of 5653MW target commissioning set by the power ministry for its 100 days agenda, only 3378MW commissioned. In a review meeting, analyzing further, it was said that 550MW capacity under firm feasible for commissioning. 1145MW capacity already synchronized on designated fuel and about to commissioning and 415MW capacity is to be followed up for synchronization.

1. Projects under firm feasible for commissioning :

a. Budge Budge U-3, West Bengal (250 MW)

b. Turangullu U-2, Karnataka (300 MW)

2. Synchronized projects but not commissioned:

a. Giral U-2, 125 MW

b. Kota TPP U-7 , 195 MW

c. Kutch Lignite U-4, 75 MW

d. Vijayawada ST-4, U-1, 500 MW

e. Suratgarh TPP-IV, U-6, 250MW

3. Followed up projects for synchronization:

a. Chandrapura U-7, DVC, 250 MW

b. Konaseema ST, 165 MW

RGGVY:

· Target: 5000 villages and 12 lakh BPL families

· Achieved: 4000 village and 13.5 lakh families

R-APDRP:

· Target: Rs 925 crores to be sanctioned for projects

· Achieved:1614 crores sanctioned.

Captive Coal block monitoring: a complete eye wash...

Anyhow the long awaited reply from CCO ( Coal Controller Organization ) finds its destination. I called back Mr Panda, director CCO to enquire about the answer but he had revealed the unimaginable. They do not monitor the associated end use project and if coal production starts early ( he is sure that it wont be) then the coal ministry will take a call how to best use that coal or at best they will transfer the coal to one of the CIL subsidiaries. How rubbish!!! So it is now very clear after one get the coal block , it may not necessarily go for end use project development , rather it would mine coal and sell in the open market and this has been the practice of many and at best they can divert the coal to other end use project because virtually there is no one to monitor.CCO is there but for the namesake only. According to the director CCO, it is very hard to maintain the data and they do not have a proper database to maintain the data. Even coal companies are not providing them the required data and they are yet to get any data for their quarterly review of the projects.But I wonder if CCO do not have the required data then how can they provide the status report for the coal ministry's review on June 22, 2009.Captive coal development remains one of the black hole, after the coal block is allocated to any party, they become the unsaid owner of the block and use the block according to their use. MoC is not very strict on monitoring the coal block development as well as milestone of the associated end use project. All the review meetings and threatening are nothing but a completely eye wash to the public at large.

Living with the virus H1N1

Sitting on the information highway is really very difficult when you are aware of bit by bit happenings around you and there is more in store as media is hyper active in the metros. Media is a necessary evil so as to make people aware about the facts and figures but they create a panic like situation in case of a viral attack or any terrorist attack.

Like in case of swine flu, people are quite aware about the facts ( whom to contact, where to contact, medicines, preventive actions and all) but the news which comes in form of breaking news and the state wise figures of death, like in case of election results are really worrisome. People take stock of all these things and live with the fear of virus.

As of now, no deaths reported in Delhi but the panic the news creates is enormous. I commute daily from Noida to Delhi in a chatter bus and people are scared to travel and their reactions change when some body sneeze or shows cough and cold like symptoms. They keep thinking, is this people affected? May be I am the next victim.

People do live in fear and the obvious example is my close knit group in Noida. We cancelled one of our possible trips to a place nearby because of swine flu and decided to stay at home and enjoy.

The irony is that when something major/minor happens in any metros, it spreads like jungle fire as Media do their bit to make it a tadka news for one and all. The footage showing breaking news like: Cases reported till now in India: XXXX…Deaths reported: Pune: XXX, Mumbai:XXXX, Ahmedabad: XXXX..and so on and the time machine constantly showing some figures upward really make life miserable to one and all living in the metro. People far off living in villages do not have to worry about it as for them there are other things to worry about.

They have other problems like drought situation, water shortage, spiraling prices of vegetables to cope up with. The spread of news is far more than the spread of the virus itself and directly and indirectly it affects the economy. It is good news for some (medicine manufacturers, mask distributors, chemists, doctors) while very bad news for others like ( malls, cinema theaters, tourism, transportation as people refrain themselves going to any crowded areas).

In India, we have more deaths in cases like malaria, dengu, diarohea and some unknown diseases. Villages disappear in no time and there is no fuss about it, no concerns nothings. But if the matter is a global phenomenon and most likely to attack the haves rather then have nots, as the travelers are the sole carriers of this flu , the govt shows some sincerity to solve the matter.

I do not know how dangerous the swine flu virus is. Of about 2 million cases world wide, the fatal rate is less than 1%, it clearly shows there is nothing to panic. Proper medication can help reduce the effect of disease.

The big question is : what should be the role of the citizens, society and the government in this kind of situation. Media should be instructed to make people aware about the complexity of the problems and the steps to be taken to tackle the issue and not to create panic by overstating the problems. Govt should take fast actions so as to arrange the necessary medicines, doctors, facilities, proper monitoring of the situation, speedy development of vaccines and allowing the private hospitals to join the war and no one should take extra mileage out of this situation. People must come forward to take voluntary actions and pledge not to make this epidemic a profitable charity.

This is time not to worry but to focus and live as usual without fear. Take necessary steps to make the body and mind active and let the nature take its own way to tackle the problem.